his Caucasian cousin, he is a dog which thinks, calculates and does his work intuitively; he only acts as soon as he overlooks the situation.
Normally, ears and tail are cropped. The coat can vary from very short to longer. All colors are represented; most of the dogs either are white with darker markings or colored with white markings, of different size. In certain regions you can find black & tan, tricolor and even one-colored dogs, which are very estimated by some breed fanciers. The pure CAO wouldn’t have such high set ears and wouldn’t be so heavy built like the Caucasian Ovcharka. Good bones, muscular, with strong legs and a strong neck. The head is broad, with a moderate broad muzzle and a strong jaw. Dark pigmentation, the nose and the edge of the eyes has to be black. The CAO moves easily and is appreciated for his agility and speed. However, most of them are not very active, when they don’t work. Size and weight vary considerable, the height at the shoulders ranges from about 25 to 30, and even 34 inches.
The following pictures we’ve got from Almaz Kennels, USA:
Akelo, Ukraine
Kurazh, Almaz Kennels, USA
It’s difficult not to become enthusiastic about the three described breeds – Illyrian Shepherd, Kangal and Central Asian Ovcharka; therefore I would like to add some personal words:
We’ve chosen these three breeds as an example for working dogs, which have done their work for centuries and until now, have remained mainly in the hands of those, breeding and using them for that. Therefore these dogs remained largely genuine, healthy and robust, characteristics, which most of today only for show bred breeds largely are missing. However, I learned to know that from the three mentioned breeds the Central Asian Ovcharka already has gained certain popularity, especially in the East European countries. I would refer that to his great variety in size, length of coat and above all the color, which is very varying and makes him more colorful and distinguishes him from the others.
Though I notice a new trend the last time – the herding dogs are always more discovered by those who some years ago first had been occupied with the Molosser breeds and then with the Bull Terrier breeds. One could also say, after they had ruined these breeds, their health and look, they turn to something new now – the herding dogs. For there they still can let off steam! There you can select, but not for use or healthiness, but for size, color of coat, length of coat and so on. And they also have to be “civilized” for you can show them in the show ring that means only the dog, which puts up with all or almost all, then will get a chance. Sooner or later some incidents will happen with other dogs or people. The newspapers will have finally a “new fighting dog”, that will be the “Turkish fighting dog”. Again one will demand a character test, in which this dog will have to put up with some idiots pressing him, stumbling in front of him, putting up umbrellas and so on. If he reacts according to his natural character and what always has been demanded of him, that is to take it as a threat of his master, then he will be rated as dangerous. A ban of keeping might threaten and finally he might end up in an animal asylum. There he will be put to sleep or if he is “lucky”, he will be only castrated to make him calmer.
These valuable and proud dogs don’t deserve that. I hope this will be spared them, however fear that my hope will be in vain.
Former the wolf, now the mail carrier
At this point I would like to thank all those that supported me with information and pictures: Deltari Illir, Kosovo; Lutfullah Ayan and Mehmet Yalcin, Ankara; Boz Kennels, Istanbul; Almaz Kennels, USA.
MASTIFF
| W |
hen the Romans conquered Britannia in 50 B. C. they met the so called “pugnaces” or war dogs, the early ancestors of the Mastiff and the Bulldog. The Romans sent a considerable number of these dogs to Rome to let them fight in their amphitheaters. Already then these dogs existed in two sizes, a taller and a smaller variant. The actual separation in Mastiff and Bulldog took place in the 17th century. However, these old Mastiffs might have looked like more the Bullmastiff in type and in size.
At the beginning of the 19th century the Mastiff more or less seemed to have extinct. At the end of the 18th and during the 19th century many Mastiff breeders imported mastiff like breeds and some breeders used these breeds, being i. a. described as Alpine Mastiffs, Spanish Bullmastiffs, in their breeding program.
A Mr. Thomson bred a bitch called Duchess, which had an unusual big head with a short and dull muzzle, and with whom he had been successful on the shows in the years 1863 – 1865. Many favored this head type, others again thought that the breeding for a shorter muzzle would be wrong and would ruin the breed. However, the breeding for a broader head and a shorter muzzle brought back in the breed the original head type.
Ch. Marcella, at the end of the 19th century (breeder: R. Leadbetter)
After World War I and II the number of the dogs decreased drastically in England, as not many people could effort the keeping of such a big dog. Many dogs were killed, some sent to America. There were only left a few mastiffs after World War II, in 1947 there could be found only seven (!) specimens in England. Also in the USA there were not much more to be found. Some more dogs still existed in Canada, so in 1949 a pair was sent to England. Because of the sacrificing work of the Old English Mastiff Club and his member the number of the Mastiffs increased again.
Mastiff 1755
The early Mastiffs showed a great variety of colors. Mastiffs with big white patches, often on the chest or across the muzzle weren’t rare. There even existed spotted dogs, also black Mastiffs weren’t unusual.
Today’s Mastiffs are brown, silver-brown, brown brindle, apricot brindle and black brindle in color. Still today Mastiffs with a longer coat are born sometimes, because of the crossing with the St. Bernard (Alpine Mastiff). Some even state that such crossing in certain lines goes back only 20 to 30 years.
Mastiff in Italy
BULLMASTIFF
| B |
ulldog
